1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer for performing printing on a recording medium. More particularly, the present invention relates to a printer that is connected to an information processing apparatus acting as a host and performs printing on the basis of data transmitted from the information processing apparatus. The present invention further relates to both a method for synchronizing time information transmitted from the information processing apparatus and the time information of the printer and a method for performing preprinting preparation operations by using the time information, which allows the user to perform printing with stability when he/she performs printing for the first time after he/she has bought the printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some printers that perform printing on a recording medium perform predetermined preliminary operations before performing actual printing operations.
For example, an ink-jet printer that performs printing by using an ink-jet head, which ejects ink onto a recording medium, has a head-cleaning system. The head cleaning system is used for preventing the ink from drying when it is not used and choking the nozzle of the ink-jet head. For maintaining a good printing quality, head cleaning including a suction operation and a preliminary ejection operation is performed at predetermined time intervals. In many cases, the head cleaning is automatically performed at the start of printing. That is to say, the printing triggers the head cleaning.
It takes much time until the printing is started after the user gives the instruction to start printing, since it takes much time for the printer to become ready to start printing after performing many kinds of data processing. Further, the above-described head cleaning or the head maintenance can be performed after the printer is ready to start printing after it develops the print data to the buffer thereof. Therefore, the time required until the start of printing is determined by adding the time required for the head cleaning to the time required for the data processing. Accordingly, the time from when the user gives the printer his/her instruction to start printing until the completion of printing becomes long.
An invention for solving the above-described problem is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-163225. According to the invention, when a user gives a printer an instruction to start printing, a host that is an information processing apparatus (including a personal computer) transmits a preprinting notice signal to the printer before transmitting print data thereto. The printer translates the signal received via the communication means thereof. When the translation shows that the signal instructs the printer to perform preprinting preparation operations, the printer starts performing the preprinting preparation operations, such as cleaning required for performing printing, before receiving the print data. When the signal sent to the printer is the print data, the printer performs printing on the basis of the print data.
The preprinting notice signal transmitted from the information processing apparatus may include time information, an instruction to perform a preliminary operation, resolution of print area, image size, type of paper, feeding method, and so forth. Recently, the ink-jet printer, which is connected to the host and has communication means, calculates the non-operating time thereof by using the time information and performs cleaning including suction, preliminary ejection, and so forth corresponding to the calculated non-operating time. Incidentally, when the printer has a timer, which is used for measuring the non-operating time, and performs suction by using it, these operations are referred to as timer suction.
The above-described printer, which has the communication means for communicating with the information processing apparatus, uses the time information transmitted from the information processing apparatus so that the printer can perform preprinting preliminary operations corresponding to the non-operating time of the printer when the AC power supply of the printer is turned off. However, when the information processing apparatus transmits the time information to the printer for the first time after the user bought the printer, the printer cannot perform the preprinting preparation operations properly. This is because the printer does not have information about the time between the shipment time thereof and the time when the user will operate the printer for the first time after the purchase thereof.